Dr Charles Blatherwick, son of a Nottinghamshire surgeon, Thomas Blatherwick and his wife Mary Ann, studied for his MD in Dublin and practised medicine in Highgate, London. In 1865 he moved to “Dunaivon” Rhu, having been appointed Chief Inspector of Alkali and Chemical Works for Scotland and Northern Ireland.
With his first wife, Sophia (nee Cole) he had eight children, the first was Edith and the third, his daughter Lily, born in Richmond in 1859 and later married to her step-brother Archibald Standish Hartrick. Lily grew up in Rhu and became a talented artist. After the death of his first wife in 1882 Charles Blatherwick married the widow, Sophia Josephine Hartrick with whom he had three children, one of whom, Eva, married “Bob” Bush Black and had three children, one of whom was Vea Black)
Dr Blatherwick was highly regarded as a skilful amateur watercolour painter and helped to make the Helensburgh area a centre of art. It is not surprising that one of his finest works, the large watercolour of Kidston Point was among Nance Anderson’s personal collection of paintings which she donated to Helensburgh on her death and now forms part of the Anderson (Local Collection)Trust.
Dr Blatherwick was a founder member and President of the Royal Scottish Society of Painters in Watercolour (RSW) in 1878 and President of Glasgow Art Club from 1891-1893. He is remembered as a novelist as well as a watercolourist. Anecdotes about Blatherwick and his place in the social life of Rhu are quoted in General Sir Ian Hamilton's interesting reminiscences of his childhood and youth "When I was a Boy" and demonstrate that the doctor was an entertaining and influential character. The Anderson Trust also owns a fine portrait drawing of Dr Blatherwick by Phil May (1864 – 1903)
Dr Blatherwick died in Kirkudbright in 1895 and is buried in Rhu churchyard.
Water colours by Dr Charles Blatherwick in the Anderson Trust Collection
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| “Kidstone Point” (40x121cm) |
“The Clyde from Old Duntochar Road”(11.5x22cm) |
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| “ View from Auchentoshan Grounds”(11x20.5cm) |
The Clyde from Auchentoshan Grounds”11x23.5cm) |
(all in original Collection)
